Pump



June 15, 1954 rrus 2,681,009

PUMP

Filed May 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4o 45 36 Fly. 3

38 48 JNVENTOR: 28 27 46 THO/14 451.. T/TU5 zwz-a 4.54am

ATTORNEY Patented June 15, 1954 UITED STATES PUMP Thomas L. Titus, Cheyenne, Wyo., assigncr to Wyott Manufacturing 00., Inc., a corporation of Wyoming 3 Claims.

fhis invention pertains to pumps, and in the preferred embodiment, here illustrated, to pumps used for dispensing syrups at soda fountains and for analogou uses, and is an improvement over my United States Patent No. 2,408,009.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a dispensing pump of an improved construction of assembly with all parts readily accessible for cleaning.

Another object is to produce a syrup dispensing pump with a removable gravity operable check valve and which is operable in the line of flow of the liquid in the discharge tube thereof.

Another object is to produce a syrup dispensing pump having all pump and discharge tube parts held together by a single tie rod, so that all parts will be accessible for cleaning upon removal of that one rod.

Another object of this invention is to produce a novel adjustable plunger rod and head assembly for controlling the quantity of liquid to be dispensed and having a novel lock nut means in association with the head and plunger for bolding any adjustment of the head with relationship to the rod during normal operation of the pump.

Other and further objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of my pump in inoperative position;

Figure 2 is a similar side cross-sectional view of my pump but with the plunger in extreme downward operative position of the plunger as there illustrated;

Figure 3 is a partial view of the piston and cylinder illustrating the beginning of the operation thereof on the up-stroke of the piston in refilling the cylinder immediately after the downward piston stroke;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional View of my novel spring lock means taken on the line i4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the plunger head assembly taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of my nove1 yoke spring tension lock nut means;

Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view of an enlarged modification of the head 50, and having a novel pin lock means; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 5 represents the liquid in a foun- 2 tain container in which the lower portion of my pump is immersed and with a suitable cover head member '5 adapted to be placed over the top of that container. I form an upwardly extending tubular guide member l integral with the head 6 and adapted to receive the tubular sleeve portion of the plunger head assembly indicated by reference 56. A discharge tube 8 is welded at l5 through an opening in the discharge head 6 and is rigidly held thereto, and a suitable tubular offset spout ?3 extends near the top of and from that tube 8, 8 and Q together comprising substantially an L-shaped discharge tube, with a discharge port H3 in the spout as indicated. The extreme end of the spout is removably sealed by a spout plug l5 positioned thereover by a suitable U-shaped tension snap clip ll. The upper portion of discharge tube 8 has an internal enlarged diameter indicated by reference numeral 8, with relation to the balance thereof extending downwardly below the spout 9, thereby forming a shoulder I 9. A suitably thick bottom plug member 21, having a central opening adapted for receiving a flange-headed tie rod 25 extending upwardly therethrough the length of the discharge tube 8, is positioned so as to seal the bot tom of the discharge tube; and another discharge tube plug 26 is positioned to seal the top of the tube, also having a central opening with internal screw threads adapted to be threaded to the top of the rod 25, which is threaded at its top end. As the plug Ed is seated, by being threaded onto the rod 25, both that plug and the bottom plug 21 are drawn together by rod 25 to close the discharge tube at the top and bottom ends, the bottom seal being effected by the lower periphery of the tube seating against a washer 3'5, which fits onto shoulder 28, provided near the outer upper edge of the bottom plug 2?, as illustrated. Before the top plug 26 is seated however, a round gravity check valve member 2t, having a central opening adapted to slidably receive the rod 25, is placed downwardly over that rod. At the lower edge of bottom seal plug member 2? I suitably secure a pump seal washer 36, as illustrated. Members 27, 35, and rod 25 may be constructed as one unit if desired. The lower peripheral edge of check valve 29 has an extended rim of a size adapted to seat on inner shoulder IQ of the discharge tube, to cause a gravity seal at shoulder it of the discharge tube at a point below the level of spout 53. Tie rod 25 extends upwardly with its flanged head 25a seated in a recess of plug 2?, as illustrated. A stop plate 29, having an opening to receive the discharge tube 8, is positioned over that tube and welded thereto at 3'0. A guide opening 35 is provided in the stop plate 29 adapted to slidably receive a plunger rod 49 therein, with that opening aligned below tubular member I. A plurality of intake ports 38 are formed in the discharge tube adjacent the lower extremity just above seal plug 21.

I provide an annular inverted cup-shaped piston 39 having a central opening therein through which the discharge tube 8 extends for slidable relationship therewith. A helical compression spring 45 surrounds the lower end of discharge tube 8 and is held between piston 39 and washer 31, so that the spring functions to return the piston upwardly against stop plate 29 upon cessation of plunger 49 downward pressure. Downward plunger pressure is against the pressure of that spring. A cup-shaped cylinder d5, having its bottom provided with a central opening adapted to slidably, receive the bottom plug member 21, is positioned as illustrated for vertical movement of the cylinder within the limitation or" the distance between washer 31 and seal Washer 35, as will be understood. Upward movement of the cylinder is limited by the bottom thereof striking against washer 37, which latter acts as stop means for that purpose. The bottom or" cupshaped cylinder 45 is also provided with a plurality of openings 45. The upper surface of the pump seal washer 36 and the lower surface of the cup-shaped cylinder 45 form a tight seal when they are in engagement, as illustrated at 58 in Figure 1. In assembly, obviously, the top plug is the last member assembled; after the piston 39 with its plunger rod has been inserted upwardly in place, then spring 45, washer 31, cup-shaped cylinder 45 and then bottom plug member 21 with its seal washer are assembled, then tie rod 25 is inserted upwardly through the bottom plug member 21 and the top plug 25 is screw threaded or seated onto the top of the tube 5 and thereby the entire bottom pump assembly is drawn and held together by means of the tie rod 25. Then, in assembly, my plunger head assembly, 56, is screwed onto plunger shaft G9.

Plunger rod 49, having a reduced lower end rigidly secured to piston 39, extends upwardly through stop and guide plate 29 with the top end of that rod extending upwardly, as illustrated,

through the upper tubular guide member i. Plunger head assembly, designated by the reference numeral 55, comprises a tubular member 55, adapted for slidable operation within guide member 'I of the cover head 6, with that member 55 having a central threaded portion 55 adapted to cooperate with the threads upon the top of the round plunger rod at, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The upper threaded portion of round plunger rod 55 is made with a pair of flattened parallel sides 57, as illustrated in Figure 4, for reasons which will be explained. The upper edge of tubular head 55 is enlarged so as to project peripherally at the top thereof at 53, and has its outer periphery threaded for receiving the threaded name cap 59 thereon. An inner recessed notch 65b is formed on the inside of cap 53, of a size adapted for wedgedly receiving the top bar 60a of a yoke tension lock nut spring therein, so that said spring will be held in said notch by the cap 59. I provide a novel lock nut yoke shaped tension spring 55, as illustrated in Figure 6, having a top bar 55a and a pair of corresponding parallel arms 65, for use as will be explained.

Referring to Figure 1, the distance between the under side of projection 58a, of the cap, and the top edge la, of tubular guide 1, determines the distance of the downward stroke of the plunger rod :39 upon application of pressure on cap 55, and thereby the distance which piston 39 may be moved downwardly within the cylinder, thereby controlling the output of flow of liquid from the cylinder cup up the discharge tube and out port 50.

Referring to Figures 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, tension spring arms 55 normally press against the fiattened sides 57 of the top of the plunger, and thereby the arms normally tend to hold the cap assembly 55 from rotating during normal plunger operation in the use of the pump. To vary the quantity output of the pump, the plunger cap assembly is turned on its threads 56 to alter the distance between 58a and la, against the tension or" yoke spring 50. In that adjustment, as the head assembly 50 is turned, to adjust the stroke length of the plunger on its threads 55, the arms of the spring are spread apart at each half revolution turn of the head, as indicated in dotted lines of Figure 4, against the inherent spring tension of that spring yoke lock nut 55. The spring tension of those arms 55 is provided of sufiicient tenacity to normally hold the cap assembly 55 from rotating during plunger use of the pump, so that any adjustment of the cap or stroke set of the plunger, will be held by lock nut means spring it from alteration during use. It will thus appear that the quantity output of the contents of the cylinder cup 35 is controlled by the plunger stroke of the piston 39 operated by the plunger rod 39 and cap assembly 55, when the cap 59 is pushed downwardly, directly proportional to the distance between 58a and la, and that that distance is regulated or adjustable by turning the head assembly 50 on the threads 55.

Instead of the novel yoke spring lock nut means 60, just described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, I have also developed and used another novel wire or cotter pin locking means for locking the adjustment of the plunger head 50, after it has been set for a desired stroke of the plunger as determined by the distance between shoulders 1a and 58a. My wire pin looking means is illustrated in Figures '7 and 8. In Figure 7, I have illustrated a modification of the plunger cap assembly 50, but with similar longitudinal fiat sided portions 57 formed on the plunger and screw threaded at the top of the plunger, and having a similar tubular member 55 slidably operable in the upper extension I of the cover head 5, with a similar threaded portion 55. The distance between shoulders lo. and 58a control the operable stroke of the plunger upon downward pressure being applied to the cap 59. Referring to Figure 8, it will be seen that I provide a vertical pin seat or aperture I0 adapted to snugly receive a wire pin ll therein, and so positioned with relation to the inside of the head that when the pin '1! is placed in its opening 10 that the pin will abut the flat portion 57 and prevent rotation of 55 upon its threads. Any substantial rotating movement of 55 with relation to 49 will be prevented by the presence of pin ll acting to block that rotating. To set plunger 49 assembly, with my latter modified head and lock pin construction, for limiting the downward stroke capable by plunger t9, the distance between shoulders 7a and 58a is adjusted by removing head cap 59, and then wire or cotter pin means H is completely withdrawn out of its seat Ill, and then the operator may rotate the head 55'--58 on its threads 56 for increasing or decreasing the distance between 1a and 58a. After that adjustment then wire means i! is replaced and also cap 59. Cap 59 prevents accidental removal of cotter pin 'il during use of the pump. This latter wire pin locking means I have found of great advantage to management to insure that the quantity output of the pump, once management has made the desired adjustment to regulate same, is not tampered with by employees.

The upper inner peripheral edge of the cup cylinder 45 is provided with an inclined surface 70, so that when the parts are in position shown in Figure 1, with the piston 39 positioned above that surface ill, then any inequality in the pressure of the syrup within and without the cup 55 will be equalized by syrup entering the cylinder through that space provided between the lower edge of the piston and that upper inclined surface. A gravity fall of the cup cylinder 35 having occurred a full cup of syrup will be assured in preparation for the next downward stroke of the plunger and its piston. The diameter of the piston is slightly smaller than the inside di ameter of the cup 45, so that when the parts are in the position as shown in Figure 3 there is very little leakage between the piston and the cup cylinder and practically no friction.

Assuming that the pump is positioned in a fountain syrup or other liquid whose upper level is indicated by the reference numeral 5, and

that the cylinder i5 is full of liquid with the 1 parts as illustrated in Figure l, and that a quantity of syrup is to be dispensed, the operator then exerts a downward pressure on cap 59, thereby moving the plunger 39 and its piston 39 downwardly into the position as illustrated in Figure 2. As soon as that downward movement begins, the lower edge of piston 39 passes below the inclinded surface 1a of cup cylinder i5, and seals off the space just explained, between 39 and the inclined surface 70, during the downward stroke, and until stop members 58a and la abut each other, syrup within the cylinder enters intake ports 33 and is forced upwardly through discharge tube 8. The upward travel of the syrup in tube 8 forces check valve 26 into the lifted position illustrated in Figure 2, and during that downward plunger movement syrup escapes from discharge port H3. Upon the lower extremity of the plunger stroke being reached, the syrup flow upwardly in the discharge tube 8 ceases, and, instantly check valve 26 falls by gravity until its lower flange seals against shoulder i9, and thereby a vacuum seal is created to hold the syrup within the discharge tube 3 until the next stroke raises check valve 25!. As soon as the piston 39 gets down below inclined surface 16, the liquid confined in the cylinder is put under considerable pressure, which liquid pressure into tube 8 raises check valve 28. As soon as pressure is released on cap 59 spring 40 operates to raise the piston and plunger it ultimately back into the position illustrated in Figure 1. During that upward spring actuated replacement action, since check valve 26 acts to seal the liquid in discharge tube 8, then the suction, caused by the upward movement of piston 39 within the cylinder at, causes that cylinder 45 to be lifted, as illustrated in Figure 3 throughout the upward stroke of the piston 39 until the lower edge of the piston passes out of contact with the inner side wall of the cylinder by pass ing above inclined surface 10. Syrup enters the cylinder through bottom holes 46 of the cylinder as long as the bottom of the cup is raised above seal plate or washer 36 during upward piston movement, as illustrated in Figure 3. Should the operator repeat the plunger stroke again before the cup is completely filled, obviously, the

downward piston stroke would cause the syrup pressure to immediately press the bottom of the cup downwardly to form a seal between the bottom of the cup 45 and the top of seal washer 3B. Inclined upper portion 10, at the top of the cylinder, permits a faster pumping action as a result of a fast refilling and resealing of the cylinder ready for the next stroke. The discharge tube will always be full of liquid because it cannot return into the container, being held therein by check valve 26. The amount of liquid dispensed will depend upon the relative downward movement between the piston 39 and the cylinder 45, and this is controlled by limiting the. amount of plunger stroke, by moving the head 5558a relative to the rod 49, so as to adjustfor the desired quantity of liquid to be dispensed at each full stroke, as defined by the distance between 53a and la.

Intake holes 4G in the bottom of the cup cylinder permit use of the pump should the level of the syrup fall below inclined surface 10.

By unscrewing top plug 26 from tie rod 25 that rod can be removed downwardly from the discharge tube 8 and the entire bottom assembly- 21, 35, 45, 31 and ail-will then fall downwardly and apart for the purpose of cleaning, and sterilizing, or otherwise.

When stop nut-plug 26 and tie rod 25 are re-- moved check valve 20 may be removed through the upper portion of discharge tube 8, by inverting the assembly to permit it to fall out of that opening. To clean the spout 9 spring snap clamp il is spread and removed and thereby spout plug [6 removed. A cleaning wire, rag or brush may be easily inserted throughout the length of.

the discharge tube 8 and spout 9. Since the upper plunger parts and assembly 50 do not comein contact with the liquid they do not have to be cleaned as frequently as other parts, but should it be desired to remove them for any reason, then plunger head assembly 59 may be entirely re.- moved upwardly, by unscrewing from rod 49, and then piston rod 69 may be removed downwardly through stop plate guide member 29, and with the rod 39 comes the attached piston 39.

It will thus be seen that my pump is constructed of fewer, simpler and more accessible parts, and yet of durable construction; also that it may be adjusted to dispense predetermined quantities of liquid within the limits of the adjustments provided, and that I provide a novel gravity check valve in the line of flow in the discharge tube but which withdraws to one side of the flow during discharge of liquid. A gravity check valve chamber 13 is provided in the discharge tube to one side or out of the line of flow of the liquid, wherein the check valve is recessed during flow of the liquid out the discharge spout.

It is of course to be understood that the piston and cylinder move vertically and that liquid is dispensed at a point above the liquid level 5 in the container.

It is to be understood that many changes, variations and modifications may be made in the specific form of the preferred embodiment of my invention described and illustrated without departing from the spirit thereof, and I therefore wish to be distinctly understood not to be limited thereby, but that I shall be limited only within the scope and the definition of my invention as contained and defined in and by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a vertically operable pump having a vertically operable plunger, a piston rigidly secured thereto and having a central opening, an inverted rigidly held substantially L-shaped discharge tube extending upwardly through the piston opening and having a check valve chamber therein, a liquid-pressure operable check valve in said chamber and having an opening therein, a removable cup-like cylinder having a floor and loosely surrounding the piston and tube and radially spaced from the tube and adapted for limited vertical movement with respect to the tube and having an intake supply opening in its floor, the tube having a port in its lower portion below the piston and having its outer diameter slightly smaller than the piston opening, of removable means for sealing the lower end of the discharge tube comprising a lower plug and a removable tie rod extending through the plug and up the inverted leg portion of the L-tube and through the opening of the check valve to the top of that leg portion, the check valve being adapted for sliding operation on the rod, said plug having a lower first plate washer secured thereto below the cylinder floor, said first washer being adapted for sealing the cylinder floor intake supply opening when the cylinder rests thereon, a second washer secured to said plug in spaced relationship from and above the first washer, one of said washers being removably secured to the plug, the cylinder being positioned with its floor between said two washers and the limited vertical movement thereof being controlled by said spaced relationship between said washers, and removable resilient means resting on said second washer within the cylinder and under the piston and around the tube and being compressibly confined between the piston and the second washer and being adapted for normally holding the piston and its plunger upwardly in inoperative position, and removable means for sealing the top of the inverted leg portion of the tube and removably securing the upper portion of the rod thereto, said means for sealing the lower end of the discharge tube also comprising single means for removing the cylinder and resilient means and the check valve upon removal of the rod and lower plug with its washers upon' removal of the means sealing the top of the inverted leg portion of the tube and thereby unsecuring the upper portion of the rod therefrom.

2. In a vertically operable pump for dispensing liquid having a vertical discharge tube having an intake port adjacent its lower end, stop means on the tube adjacent its lower end, said stop means having a plunger rod guide opening therein, a cup-shaped cylinder having a floor having an inlet valve opening and being positioned around the lower end of the tube under the stop means and being adapted for limited vertical movement with respect to the tube, a cylinder fioor seal plate means rigidly and removably held to the tube below the cylinder, means for so holding the seal plate means to til - means for sealing the top of the tube, and a the tube, a plunger operable piston in'the cylin der, a check valve positioned within the upper portion of the discharge tube and having a central opening, a vertically operable and adjustable plunger rod rigidly fastened to the piston and extending slidably through said guide opening of the stop means, resilient means removably held to the lower portion of the discharge tube and positioned below the piston within the cylinder and around the tube at a point above the seal plate means and being adapted for normally holding the piston upwardly against the stop means, means for so holding the resilient means, in combination therewith removable plug means for sealing the bottom of the discharge tube and including said means for holding the seal plate means to the tube and also including said means for so holding the resilient means, a stud tie rod secured to said means for sealing the bottom of the discharge tube and extending vertically through the discharge tube and loosely through the opening of the check valve therein, and a removable nut-plug for sealing the top of the discharge tube and being removably secured to the top of the tie rod.

3. A pump comprising a vertical rigidly held discharge tube having an intake port at its lower portion and having a check valve chamber and a gravity operable check valve having an opening therein, the check valve being positioned in said chamber between the intake port and the outlet end of the tube and being adapted for gravity sliding on a rod, a removable cylinder having a lower inlet valve opening and loosely surrounding and radially spaced from the tube, a plunger operable piston in the cylinder above the intake port, a plunger secured to the piston, removable resilient means supported between the piston and the tube for normally holding the piston in operative position, removable means for sealing the cylinder lower inlet valve opening and the lower end of the tube including means for supporting the resilient means, removable single tie rod means extending through the discharge tube and through the opening of the check valve, the check valve being gravity slidably operable on the rod means, and the rod means being removably connected with and binding each of the two sealing means to the tube, the rod means and the two sealing means together comprising a single removable means upon removal thereof for disassembling the cylinder and the resilient means and the check valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,361,943 Westfall Dec. 14, 1920 1,678,051 Bastian July 24, 1928 1,723,909 Alvey Aug. 6, 1929 1,792,707 Rahm Feb. 17, 1931 1,819,381 Palmer Aug. 18, 1931 1,823,116 Muller Sept. 15, 1931 1,848,648 Nelson Mar. 8, 1932 1,857,676 Babitch May 10, 1932 1,902,261 Pilcher- Mar. 21, 1933 1,919,173 Shutt July 18, 1933 2,078,483 Weal Apr. 27, 1937 2,205,875 Coffey et al June 25, 1940 2,408,009 Titus Sept. 24, 1946 2,473,696 Anderson June 21, 1949 1.....- nan 

